Which is better capitalism or socialism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, hope your kids aren't in public school, and I really hope you don't plan on Social Security or Medicare. Please don't take unemployment benefits, or complain about potholes. Don't engage in anything that has federal funding, please, which includes higher ed, the arts, medical advances from research.

It's all a one sided understanding with you types, but you're the first to complain about inflation, right? We have inflation due to corporate gouging- they got bail outs and turned around and took advantage of the system by raising prices.
. It's not even capitalism we have, it's a
system of oligarchy.

Our nation has the very rich, supported by tax cuts and benefits, but also we have people literally starving on the street and dying from a lack of health care access. So is this the question you really want to ask today?

You are confused. Capitalism doesn’t mean don’t pay any taxes at all. Certain socialist services are necessary for a functioning capitalist society. And by the way the wealthiest 50% pay most of the taxes in this country so how is it that the wealthy aren’t paying their fair share. But paying taxes so someone’s student debt can be canceled when they alone agreed to their loan is not what capitalists had in mind (unless you want to buy votes). Or paying for illegal aliens’ health care for that matter.

Please, there are hundreds of tax breaks for companies, welfare payments to farmers, disability payments to basically 1/2 the state of WV…if we want to move to pure capitalism, I am for it…but all these breaks need to go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, hope your kids aren't in public school, and I really hope you don't plan on Social Security or Medicare. Please don't take unemployment benefits, or complain about potholes. Don't engage in anything that has federal funding, please, which includes higher ed, the arts, medical advances from research.

It's all a one sided understanding with you types, but you're the first to complain about inflation, right? We have inflation due to corporate gouging- they got bail outs and turned around and took advantage of the system by raising prices.
. It's not even capitalism we have, it's a
system of oligarchy.

Our nation has the very rich, supported by tax cuts and benefits, but also we have people literally starving on the street and dying from a lack of health care access. So is this the question you really want to ask today?

You are confused. Capitalism doesn’t mean don’t pay any taxes at all. Certain socialist services are necessary for a functioning capitalist society. And by the way the wealthiest 50% pay most of the taxes in this country so how is it that the wealthy aren’t paying their fair share. But paying taxes so someone’s student debt can be canceled when they alone agreed to their loan is not what capitalists had in mind (unless you want to buy votes). Or paying for illegal aliens’ health care for that matter.

I am not confused. The wealthiest are afforded insane tax cuts- just look at Bezo's sneaky move, and he's at the top of the system. Going down we have multi billionaires and millionaires just getting richer.

We have CEO earning millions while employing workers ar minimum wage. It's disgusting.

You're worried about loan payoff? Have you looked into the onerous interest rates charged on college loans? And immigrants? Yes, they are now the backbone of our economy, we'd collapse without them. Yes, healthcare should be afforded to everyone, not the wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Capitalism is the worst form of government. It's only slightly better than every other form of government.

Capitalism isn’t a form of govt. It’s an economic system.

Well, until you consider Supreme Court conflict of interest, and political donations, right? Nah- in our country, capitalism is our form of govt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m very worried about the direction of our country. There seems to be an accelerating drift toward socialism with the forced distribution of wealth. The famous quote about socialism working until you run out of other people’s money keeps coming to mind. What are people’s thoughts on this?

My thought is....is there someone with too much time on their hands starting all these threads just to get people riled up for their own entertainment? Or is someone or some organization funding an effort to go on various popular message and discussion boards and start threads to get people riled up to increase the perception of strong political divides, reduce confidence in the government, and generally contribute to the negative climate in the US?

OP was disappointed that their post on eliminating the 401k was met with too much unified condemnation. So, they switched to a broader topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m very worried about the direction of our country. There seems to be an accelerating drift toward socialism with the forced distribution of wealth. The famous quote about socialism working until you run out of other people’s money keeps coming to mind. What are people’s thoughts on this?

This is not happening. Stop it. Stop worrying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, hope your kids aren't in public school, and I really hope you don't plan on Social Security or Medicare. Please don't take unemployment benefits, or complain about potholes. Don't engage in anything that has federal funding, please, which includes higher ed, the arts, medical advances from research.

It's all a one sided understanding with you types, but you're the first to complain about inflation, right? We have inflation due to corporate gouging- they got bail outs and turned around and took advantage of the system by raising prices.
. It's not even capitalism we have, it's a
system of oligarchy.

Our nation has the very rich, supported by tax cuts and benefits, but also we have people literally starving on the street and dying from a lack of health care access. So is this the question you really want to ask today?

You are confused. Capitalism doesn’t mean don’t pay any taxes at all. Certain socialist services are necessary for a functioning capitalist society. And by the way the wealthiest 50% pay most of the taxes in this country so how is it that the wealthy aren’t paying their fair share. But paying taxes so someone’s student debt can be canceled when they alone agreed to their loan is not what capitalists had in mind (unless you want to buy votes). Or paying for illegal aliens’ health care for that matter.

I am not confused. The wealthiest are afforded insane tax cuts- just look at Bezo's sneaky move, and he's at the top of the system. Going down we have multi billionaires and millionaires just getting richer.

We have CEO earning millions while employing workers ar minimum wage. It's disgusting.

You're worried about loan payoff? Have you looked into the onerous interest rates charged on college loans? And immigrants? Yes, they are now the backbone of our economy, we'd collapse without them. Yes, healthcare should be afforded to everyone, not the wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Nope…you’re still confused. Moving to a state that doesn’t tax the bejeezus out of you is open to anyone not just the ultra wealthy. I’m solid MC and the idea of moving to a tax free state so I don’t have to pay state taxes on my capital gains is definitely compelling.

If you work for minimum wage it’s because you choose to work for minimum wage. No one is holding a gun to their head to work those jobs. Increase your skills/education, find another job, make yourself more marketable to earn higher wages or…gasp…be an entrepreneur and start a company and be the CEO.

Agree our healthcare system is broken. Let’s reform tort law and remove the many many hands in the cookie jar and the costs will come down.

[Anonymous]

Which is better, capitalism or socialism? Gee, what a novel question – I don’t think humans have ever considered that one.

If only there were some data we could look at — like if there were some country that went from not existing to being the most prosperous in the history of the world in the span of 100 years — maybe then we could look to see how they did it and which economic system they used.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which is better, capitalism or socialism? Gee, what a novel question – I don’t think humans have ever considered that one.

If only there were some data we could look at — like if there were some country that went from not existing to being the most prosperous in the history of the world in the span of 100 years — maybe then we could look to see how they did it and which economic system they used.

Are you trying to reference the US? We weren’t even close to the most prosperous in the world by 1876.

[Anonymous]

The problem with socialism is human nature. Sure everyone working for the common cause and singing kumbaya sounds good in theory but the reality is a completely different matter. With socialism there is no incentive to work hard, take risk with capital, innovate, be an entrepreneur, etc. Society would stagnate. I’ll take capitalism with all its flaws any day. By the way, that smart phone in your hand is a result of capitalism.

[Anonymous]

OP, I fear you are not very bright. You don't seem to understand what socialism is.

To answer your question, capitalism and socialism each have their merits in some respects. Unfettered capitalism doesn't work as we saw in say, slavery, child labor, triangle shirtwaist factory, stock market crash, etc.

Socialism means a collective ownership of factories and corporations. That's not efficient.

What you are complaining about is taxes and a progressive tax system that takes more from those who have more money. Except billionaires, we don't tax them.

[Anonymous]

Anyone here that can name a capitalist country that butchered and starved millions of its own citizens to maintain government power?
How many millions starved to death under Stalin? 3 -5 million during the Holodomor?
How many millions starved to death during Mao's great leap forward? 30-40 million?
How many people are dying in North Korea?
Who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on how you define your terms. Socialism like the USSR did it is bad. Capitalism like the government allowing and even encouraging giant corporations to accumulate wealth and power to the point where individuals have no choice but to labor for corporations for peanuts is also bad.

I do not think the US is in any danger of "running out of other people's money" in terms of wealth redistribution. The rich are getting richer and the middle class is shrinking. There is more wealth than ever but it's being concentrated in the hands of a few. I think the best system is where small business can flourish, the government has firm control on corporations, and there is a solid social safety net and labor protections. The US was sort of like this between FDR and Regan.

The USSR had communism. That is the abolishment of private property. There's no comparing a social safety net to flipping soviet style communism FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m very worried about the direction of our country. There seems to be an accelerating drift toward socialism with the forced distribution of wealth. The famous quote about socialism working until you run out of other people’s money keeps coming to mind. What are people’s thoughts on this?

My thought is....is there someone with too much time on their hands starting all these threads just to get people riled up for their own entertainment? Or is someone or some organization funding an effort to go on various popular message and discussion boards and start threads to get people riled up to increase the perception of strong political divides, reduce confidence in the government, and generally contribute to the negative climate in the US?

There was a great podcast posted last week here in the Money forum. The take-away as it applies to this thread is that 70% of Americans are basically centrist and want to get along. But there is 15% extremists on the left and 15% extremists on the right who live in an echo chamber of their own beliefs and are highly vocal and demonizing, making the 70% fearful of speaking out. This makes the country seem more divided than it is.

I don't see how that can be true when somehow the 15%managed to get rid of my daughter's abortion rights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, hope your kids aren't in public school, and I really hope you don't plan on Social Security or Medicare. Please don't take unemployment benefits, or complain about potholes. Don't engage in anything that has federal funding, please, which includes higher ed, the arts, medical advances from research.

It's all a one sided understanding with you types, but you're the first to complain about inflation, right? We have inflation due to corporate gouging- they got bail outs and turned around and took advantage of the system by raising prices.
. It's not even capitalism we have, it's a
system of oligarchy.

Our nation has the very rich, supported by tax cuts and benefits, but also we have people literally starving on the street and dying from a lack of health care access. So is this the question you really want to ask today?

You are confused. Capitalism doesn’t mean don’t pay any taxes at all. Certain socialist services are necessary for a functioning capitalist society. And by the way the wealthiest 50% pay most of the taxes in this country so how is it that the wealthy aren’t paying their fair share. But paying taxes so someone’s student debt can be canceled when they alone agreed to their loan is not what capitalists had in mind (unless you want to buy votes). Or paying for illegal aliens’ health care for that matter.

I am not confused. The wealthiest are afforded insane tax cuts- just look at Bezo's sneaky move, and he's at the top of the system. Going down we have multi billionaires and millionaires just getting richer.

We have CEO earning millions while employing workers ar minimum wage. It's disgusting.

You're worried about loan payoff? Have you looked into the onerous interest rates charged on college loans? And immigrants? Yes, they are now the backbone of our economy, we'd collapse without them. Yes, healthcare should be afforded to everyone, not the wealthy.

Bezo's "sneaky move?"

We live in a federal system. Anyone is free to move from one state to another. And the move was neither "sneaky" nor affects his federal tax liability.